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To say Donatello was exhausted would be an overwhelming understatement. At this point he wasn't sure there was a word in existence that could describe his exhaustion. He felt every bone in his body creak with every moment and twitch. His eyes sunk deep into his skull and the constant migraines were insufferable. In short Donnie looked like a Deadman walking.
Once in his room the door closed and locked with a hiss. Stumbling his way towards his bed Donnie groaned as his feet would kick around a forgotten tool or bolt left on the floor. Just as he got to his bed he let himself flop forward onto the large reptile that was currently sleeping.
Leatherhead let out a pain groaned as he was rudely awakened. He rubbed his eyes and once the world started clearing up he noticed Donnie laying on top of him. With a smile on his face Leatherhead wrapped his arms around his boyfriend and rolled over to his side.
“My love you're back. Welcome home. I apologize for not greeting you at the door.” Leatherhead spoke, his voice lower and more raspy than usual. He placed a kiss on his lover's head as he helped take Donnie's headgear off.
Donnie tugged at the black shirt his boyfriend was wearing and nuzzled his snout at the base of his neck. His bottom lip trembled as he recalled the events of the week. His chest hurt as though someone or something was twisting his lungs and heart to try and combine the two organs into one.
“Who was it?” Donnie flinched at the question. He wanted to forget. He wanted to forget the look on his brother's face. Forget the screams that echoed the empty city as a complete massacre happened before his very own eyes. He refused to sleep that whole week in fear of seeing those soldiers, those people- those corpses in his dreams.
“Breathe.” Leatherhead's voice was soft in his ear. He could feel his hands rub soothing circles on his shell and shoulders as he took in a shaking breath. “That's it. In.” Donnie held his breath as he felt Leatherhead drum one claw against his arm. “Out.”
Donnie hiccuped as he exhaled. All emotions hit in at once as he realized he was safe. He was alive, but at what cost?
Leatherhead gently wiped his tears from his eyes. Donnie only took a hold of it to stop Leatherhead from removing it. He needed to know he was real. Need to know this wasn't a dream and that he was really back home with Leatherhead and all his family.
“Leatherhead?” Donnie croaked as he held tightly onto the fabric.
“Yes my love?” Leatherhead kissed his head once more to help sooth his pain.
“Do you love me?” Donnie asked.
“Of course I love you.” Leatherhead chuckled. “More than anything or anyone. You're my light chér.” Donnie couldn't help but crack a smile at the slight slip of an accent.
“Will you be mad at me?” Donnie whispered as he felt more tears rolled down his face.
“What for?” Donnie bit his bottom lip as his body shook with each sob. Leatherhead only held onto him waiting for an answer.
“I don't want to move from here. I want to stay right here like this. Can I?” Donnie finally looked up at Leatherhead. Golden eyes met with bright amethysts.
A loud bang could be heard off in the distance, far away from the two to care. Leatherhead cupped his face with one hand as he wiped the tears and smiled.
“Of course.” Leatherhead replied as he held tightly onto him, curling his whole body to cover him. Donnie smiled as he leaned into his body and sighed.
Somewhere deep in the lair shouting could be heard bouncing off the walls. Mikey had his chains wrapped around his older brother to keep him from running off and going on a suicide mission of vengeance. April cried as she held onto a very distressed Casey wrapped with his blue blanket.
“Leo please! Just calm down!” Mikey shouted as he struggled to keep his brother restrained. Leo lunged forward towards the doors of the medical room only to have Mikey pull him back. “Leo!”
“I can't! I need to see him!” Leo shouted as he struggled. Suddenly a large purple cage fell on the two encasing them.
“Time out protocol activated.”
“Donnie!” The two shouted. Mikey huffed as he floated inside to take a break from holding Leo back while Leo continuously slammed himself against the mystic cage.
“I'm doing this for your own good Leo.” Donnie's voice came through their communicators.
“No!” Leo threw a punch to the purple bars. He huffed as he slowly fell to his feet. “You said-” His voice cracked as he tried holding back his tears. “You said you would follow behind us!”
A deafening silence fell across the room. Mikey hugged himself while April made sure to cover as much of little Casey as she could. After all, Donnie was his favorite uncle aside from Leo.
“Never said I wouldn't get caught on my way out.” Donnie replied truthfully.
“Asshole.” Leo cried as he pressed his head to the purple bars.
“Likewise.” Donnie joked. “How's Yuichi?”
Leo let out a pained sob at the mention of his husband. Mikey, who had been in charge of carrying his body back, spoke up. “He didn't make it.”
“I see.” Once again silence filled the room. Losing members was a given in war and was something they all equally detested. Losing loved ones? There were no words that could describe that pain.
“Let me out.” Leo mumbled.
“If I do that you'll just come looking for me.” Donnie replied.
“Of course I will! You're our brother!” Leo shouted as he slammed his head on the bars. “I don't care if I have to bring you back crawling or half dead but I'm getting you back!”
“Don't bother.” A loud bang could be heard on Donnie's side followed by a loud explosion. “By the time you get here everything will be gone and these fuckers will be burning in hell with me.”
Gasps echoed loudly followed quickly by shouts of protest. Donnie only smiled hearing how much his family cared about him. However he made a promise, one that he would make sure to keep.
“My love, are you sure?” Leatherhead asked as he gently patted his shell. Donnie opened his eyes once more and stared at his lover's face. He missed seeing him daily, missed having him there to comfort him after a major loss of lives.
“One billion percent sure.” Donnie replied. The two share a small kiss and suddenly Donnie found himself floating. In front of him was the Kraang that not only took his older brother's life but his lover's life as well. And now, he would take its life with him.
“ Pest .” It spat.
“I prefer evil genius. Has a nice ring to it.” Donnie replied as he used his nipo to summon mass weaponry. “If your leader is watching I hope to give him one hell of a show.”
The two of them let out their own battle cry as they lunged forward. Donnie swung his staff firing missiles carrying the replicated herbicide he and April found at her abandoned school a few years back.
Left
Donnie quickly dodged a pink tendril and jumped around the ship. He knew he couldn't risk getting killed just yet. Not yet.
Above you!
Donnie quickly rolled out of the way, landing near the controls of the ship. He aimed his attacks at the nest where the Kraang pilot sat.
“Resisting is futile. I will kill you.” It hissed.
“Yeah well, I don't care what happens to me.” Donnie replied as he lowered himself to a fighting stance. “I made a promise and I plan on keeping my end of the deal.”
The Kraang roared at him as it sent various tendrils towards him. Donnie stood his ground taking a deep breath as they approached him. He knew this was a gamble but if what he read was true then maybe, just maybe…
“Be gone, pest!”
A loud roar echoed throughout the ship. Then tendrils stop just a few inches away from his face as a red holographic fist held them in place.
“Impossible!” The Kraang gasped.
“Perfect timing big brother.” Donnie smiled seeing his brother's nipo.
Didn't get to smash his face in last time. Plus I made a promise to Pops and LH, and I don't plan to let them down.
Donnie wiped a tear from his face hearing that Leatherhead had managed to speak with his brother.
Donnie clutched his staff where he had wrapped his and Leatherhead's wedding rings.
‘Soon. I'll be with you soon.’ He thought before continuing his attacks.
×—
Leo stayed on his knees as he stared down at his hands. It's been two days. Two days since the cage went down. Two days since his love had died and two days since Donnie last spoke with them.
Mikey has teleported out of the cage long ago. The master of mystic magic had very important things to do after all. He could sit in here taking care of his brother. April had also left with a little Casey clinging to her. At least he didn't have to worry about the kid for now.
There was a strange pulse in his chest. The sensation was enough to get him to sit up and look around the room. He thought maybe Mikey was around but when he called out and he got no response he worried.
Suddenly the cage started to dissipate. He grinned as he was finally free to move. Making a mad dash out of the medical room, Leo ran past soldiers and civilians. Each of them held concerned looks as he passed them.
“Mikey! April!” Leo called out as he ran around looking for them. He found the two by the lookouts and jumped on them, startling them.
“Leo!” April scolded him.
“Sorry but I was just excited.” Leo smiled as he hugged the two.
“Excited for what?” Mikey asked as he kept his eyes out towards the horizon.
“We can go looking for Donnie now!” Leo beamed. April winced at the name and Mikey swallowed the lump in his throat. “Come on! We need to get going now before he gets himself killed.”
“Leo maybe we shouldn't-”
“No, we can help him! Come on!” Leo replied as he tugged on their arms.
“Leo, I really think we shouldn't go out there right now.” April was adamant.
“April we have to. Donnie is out there fighting. Donnie needs-”
“Donnie's dead.” Mikey muttered. Leo stopped and let go of them. April broke down while Mikey shook from both anger and grief.
“That's not… That's not funny Mikey.” Leo rebuttal, but Mikey only turned to look at him. Tears rolled down his face as he held a small purple cube in his hands. “What is that?”
“Donnie's nipo. I received it just now.” Leo shook his head in disbelief. “It read a message when we received it. It also had these tied to it.” Leo gasped as he saw two golden wedding bands.
He remembered back to when he walked into his brother's lab and saw him making them. He joked saying if he was upgrading the ones he and Yu had.
“As if. These, dear brother, are for me and Leatherhead.” Donnie replied with a soft smile.
“Oh~ Does this mean we will have a wedding soon?” Leo teased as he tried getting a better view on the rings.
“I would have to talk with Leatherhead first.” Donnie laughed as he tried to get Leo to leave him alone.
“Do I get to be the best man? Please say yes.” Leo continued.
“I didn't say we were you dummy!” Donnie shouted as he pushed his brother back. The whole ordeal end in a small sparing between the two which end with Mikey chaining them up in the main area where anyone could see the two morons.
“My love, did you take things too far again?” Leatherhead chuckled.
“No. It was my dumb dumb brother.” Donnie pouted. Leatherhead chuckled as he placed a peck to Donnie's lips before walking away.
“I'll be waiting for you for a game of chess.”
“Chess? What are you, 60?” Leo joked. Donnie pushed himself off the wall and kicked Leo, sending him spinning, making him sick.
Leo felt the pulse in his chest get stronger as he looked down at the cube. He wanted to say something but a loud explosion had all three of them looking towards the horizon and watched as the sky lit up purple.
“Donnie.” Leo gasped as he saw his brother's nipo engulf the sky.
“But to answer your previous question. I wouldn't mind getting married tomorrow morning.” Donnie replied as he smiled at his twin. Leo grinned at the response as the two planned the wedding that was never going to happen.